It was great to get the chance to sit down and talk with Jordi Boggiano at SymfonyCon Madrid 2014. Jordi is responsible for Composer, one of the most important pieces of technology that is driving PHP interoperability and the PHP "renaissance" of the last couple of years. He's also on the Symfony2 core team.

Use what you know

When I asked Jordi what made him stick with PHP, he replied, "Vendor lock-in, I guess. ;-) It does the job. It's a self-fulfilling circle at some point: It does the web stuff well and I do... Meer

Nearly every week I meet senior decision makers who worry about managing the multiple web sites that their organisation has. A growing number of these companies are delivering a portfolio of sites and microsites to reflect an assortment of brands and products.
The pressure is on. Last year, research from Accenture revealed that poor customer service in digital channels resulted in 53% of UK consumers switching brands in at least one industry.
The biggest headache organisations have is managing the proliferation of sites. How can they effectively manage multiple sites across numerous regions... Meer

The Percona Live MySQL Conference was held in the second week of April this year and a lot of sessions were focused on the upcoming MySQL 5.7 release.
The week before the conference, Oracle released MySQL 5.7.7 which has the Release Candidate status. Although they're not saying when the GA version will be released, it should definitely be before the end of the year. That said, there are still a lot companies out there that have not upgraded to MySQL 5.6, so adoption will be spread out. There are also a number of... Meer

Where to host your website...
It's not an easy decision. Last week, I suggested five questions to get you started on the selection process.
This week: five more questions, which will help you focus on what's important.
Remember, this is not a snap decision. It's a process. I may even float a few final queries next week.
1. Will you help me debug my code?
If your site is slow or modules aren’t working, Acquia will help you. We don’t just send you a link to a tutorial; we will help you solve your application... Meer

Building a world-class commerce website is no easy feat. Notorious for being a complicated technical venture, it requires the perfect blend of people, process, and technology. But it is possible to build a “best for me” technical solution, if you’re thoughtful and tactful in how you go about doing so.
Here’s how:
Step 1: Really think hard and define your commerce goals
If you’re considering rebuilding your commerce backend, there must be a reason -- or many. These pain points should be used as the foundational goals for your business: What must your new system be able to excel at that your... Meer

If only non-Finns could easily pronounce it, I think "yhteisöllisyys" would be a perfect motto for Drupal. To explain what it means, I dragged Lauri Eskola, Drupal Craftsman from Druid.fi, away from the contribution sprints at DrupalCamp Brighton 2015 long enough for him to fill me in on that, as well as his trip to Drupal Camp Delhi 2015, what he's excited about in Drupal 8, and how doing business in the Drupal world–based on values like sharing and openness–must seem strange and different to outsiders.

If you’re a diehard sports fan, every season brings excitement -- a summer night at the ballpark for an MLB game, a winter evening sitting court-side to catch the NBA in action. Over the years, technology has allowed sports fans to get closer and closer to the action -- from high definition TV experiences in the comfort of their own living rooms, to tweeting while they’re at the game or engaging in fan forums online. With the growing age of digital, leagues have been able to grow their brands immeasurably, including beefing up their online presence, offerings, and fan interactivity.
As... Meer

Today Google released a big change to its search algorithm to prioritize the ranking of mobile search results. This new algorithm applies specifically to searches from a mobile device. It does not (yet) apply to search results when searching on your desktop computer.
First announced in February, the release (which some have tagged “Mobilegeddon”) is a significant change in Google’s famously secretive formula for ranking websites on its “SERP:" the results page that determines which sites will show up on top when a user runs a search. Given the impact of past changes in the search algorithm... Meer

“When I first moved to New York and I was totally broke, sometimes I would buy Vogue instead of dinner. I felt it fed me more.”
~ Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City
For fans of Sex and the City, there’s no denying the emotional connection between Carrie Bradshaw and her Manolos. And fashion. And, well, shopping in general. A typical episode of the show involved brunch, shopping, and cocktails (Cosmos of course) with the girls. It was rare to see an episode where Carrie wasn’t agonizing over a pair of shoes that she really couldn’t afford (she nearly always bought them anyway).
So why does... Meer

Marketers are challenged by functional and technical roadblocks. More than 80 percent of marketers in Teradata’s latest Data-Driven Marketing survey believe marketing silos prevent them from having a comprehensive view of campaigns and customers across channels. That’s up from the 65 percent in Teradata’s 2013 study.
This trend shows that marketers are growing increasingly concerned that... Meer

Customers expect a personalized shopping experience, and leading retailers who’ve incorporated personalization are reaping huge benefits. In fact, brands that have effectively implemented personalization strategies are seeing anywhere from a 7.8 percent increase to a 21 percent increase in conversions. Done right, personalization can pay major dividends, but to implement a personalization strategy that will create the greatest returns, you... Meer

Coming off of a very successful re-launch of their unique Drupal talent incubator program, Acquia is actively recruiting students for the June session of AcquiaU. During the 14 weeks of intense hands-on learning, students are exposed to a three-track learning curriculum. Content includes Drupal and related web tools and technology, Acquia products and services, and skill development in leadership, communication, team building, and best practices in code review, Agile, and customer engagements.
Participants are exposed to formal and informal learning through class lectures and workshops,... Meer

Career services offices at colleges and universities understand the significant value that internships have when it comes to helping their students find jobs. Simply, as this Forbes article points out, internships offer as direct a path to a full-time job offer for college graduates as does any other pursuit. In fact, according to the survey backing up this article, college interns have a 7 out of 10 chance of being offered a full time job by the company... Meer

Sometimes we can’t plan for it. Sometimes we have a moment’s notice. Other times it’s our most anticipated day of the year. No matter the situation, every organization has experienced a time when their digital properties could not fail—or the business impact would be devastating.
In this blog series, we’re showcasing what it meant for three of our largest customers to have a site that could not fail. We’ll highlight both business and technical preparation, continuous improvements, platform insights, and the importance of always listening to those providing feedback on the experience.
The... Meer